As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Journal Entry #1- Extended Response (Darl)The following entry is an extension to the end of section 21 (pgs. 94-95), when Darl taunts jewel about their mother, Addie, being dead. Jewel is quite sensitive to any negative talk about his mother. Additionally in this section, Darl explains to the reader that he has no mother. I do not know why I enjoy making Jewel feel so upset over the fact that his mother, our mother, is dying or why I take her death so comfortably. Perhaps, causing sadness in Jewel is the only way for me to cope with the uneasiness surrounding my mother's death. There is a great possibility that instilling pain in others may help to release the pain I have inside, regarding my mother's death. However, there may be a simpler, darker side concerning my feelings for my dying mother, Addie. As the case may be, I may want my mother to die for one selfish reason or another. Maybe, the only reason I want Addie Bundren to go with the Lord is so that I can ridicule Jewel for no reason whatsoever. In addition, I may conceivably wish for Addie to perish because I disdain my mother, our mother. These thoughts that occur in my head are very confusing and difficult to interpret. Perhaps one of the scenarios I listed can be credited to my contemptuous and hurtful behavior towards Jewel. Or maybe, I commit these actions as a mixture of the preceding scenarios. All in all, I am not able to comprehend my confusing feelings about my mother's inevitable death.
Darl- viewed by many to be more loving and smarter
than the rest of his family (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dpstyles/3112730513/). Journal Entry #2-Diary Response (Tull's Thoughts on Anse)In section 9 (pgs. 35-38), Anse describes that his life is filled with bad luck and cannot catch a break as a result of his house being situated
on a road. In addition, he faults everything, except himself, for his poor life. Anse's selfishness in the section is well illustrated when he states that he did not schedule doctor's visits for Addie so that he could obtain his false teeth. In the following Diary entry, Tull describes his contempt for Anse, as he is selfish, a freeloader, and lazy. Dear Diary,
Anse's behavior enrages me so much that, if given the chance, I would give him a good beating in order to send him a message. The way in which Anse blames everything and everybody for his problems makes me grit my teeth and shake my fists with animosity. Whether it be the road in which his house is situated on or the weather, Anse always has an excuse for not doing his work or not obtaining a good life. Additionally, it is clear that Anse is selfish to a point where he would sacrifice the well-being of his wife so that he could possess a pair of false teeth. Anse never seems to have a care for anybody besides himself, despite being a father. To be a good father, you must sacrifice all for your wife and kids. Any well standing member of society, like me, would cringe and shake with hatred towards Anse's inexcusable, selfish and self-absorbent lifestyle.
Not only do I detest him for his selfishness and the blame he puts on others, I also abominate Anse for taking advantage of hard working people like his kids and I. Anse feels as if he is exempt from the daily labors that every other person faces. He even goes so far as to fabricating a sickness, where he states that sweating causes him to become sick. Above all, Anse is lazy. This is exemplified well when Anse conveys that it was ridiculous for him to work when Cash was recovering from a severe leg injury. I cannot seem to comprehend why I still help him so much. Perhaps, it is because my Christian wife Cora has taught me to forgive others that sin. Diary, you have worked me into a frenzy describing Anse's agitating behaviors. Please help me to remember my Christian ways and continue to aid Anse without complaint because that is what Jesus would do.
Tull- a very hard working individual, who always seems to help out Tull with no ulterior motives. He always
appears to be working on something (like above). (http://apimages.ap.org/)
Anse- a very lazy, selfish, and freeloading person. Anse has no teeth and, a result, his main goal is to obtain a pair
of false teeth. Like in the picture, Anse is always watching others do work instead of him doing it himself.
(http://apimages.ap.org/) Journal Entry #3- Poem (Written by Vardaman)The following poem was written by Vardaman, based on his feelings and actions in section 13 (pgs.53-57) after the death of his mother. Because he is either very young or retarded, Vardaman perceives death in a different way than most. Vardaman- the youngest of the four Bundren children. He is either very young and naive or
retarded. Throughout the book, Vardaman has very confusing thoughts about his mother
Addie's death. Often times, he associates death with the dead fish that he caught and killed.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/internationalrivers/3424156607/) My Dead Fish by Vardaman
O mom, how could you die,
O how your sudden death causes me to cry.
If I jump from the porch, I will be like the fish,
Without a doubt I will appear like a broken dish.
For the death of my mother, I blame Peabody,
It is clear that his medical skills are quite shoddy.
"He kilt her. He kilt her" I say,
But, perhaps it isn't his fault, as Pa didn't want to pay.
Then, abruptly, emotion overcame me like a brick wall,
Unconsciously, I start attacking Peabody's horse yelling, "you killed my maw."
I hit the animals with such vigor that I break the attacking stick,
It is most likely that the horse felt the force of a 20 pound brick.
In my own sort of world, I begin to run up the dusty way,
I'm crying so much that my tears could supply rain to all the world for a full day.
In the calmness of the barn, I am able to cry without care,
However, my grievance is cut short when Cash and Dewey Dell and ruin the comfortable air. Journal Entry #4- Visual Depiction (Wordle)The following Wordle is derived from Section 9 (35-38) of the novel As I Lay Dying. In this section, Anse narrates how his life is so unlucky and difficult. Typical of Anse's behavior, he blames his problems on something else. He states that the road, on which his house is built on, is the main source of his problems. Additionally, Anse feels a need to blame his lack of energy (and in turn work ethic) upon the miserable weather. The next Wordle will provide a good representation to the lack of responsibility Anse takes for himself and others. Additionally in section 9, Anse explains that he did not call Dr. Peabody when Addie was sick so that he could save money in order to buy a pair of false teeth for himself. This demonstrates that Anse is very selfishness and self-absorbent.
Made athttp://www.wordle.net Journal Entry #5- Visual Depiction (Sumopaint)The below drawing is based on Section 3 (10-13), where Darl is narrating the section. Darl explains that Jewel is able to control the most insubordinate horse around. In the picture, Jewel is shown punching the horse, inside the barn, in the face in order to control it. Darl credits Jewel for being the only one that is able to control the horse and be able to ride it. Despite his violent behavior toward the horse, Jewel loves his horse with a great passion. Besides his mother Addie, Jewel's horse seems to be the only thing that he loves and does not have hatred or contempt for. The following depiction will show how Jewel has the sole ability to master and dominate the horse.
http://www.sumopaint.com/ Journal Entry #6-Diary Response (Anse's Thoughts on Jewel) In Section 32 (pgs. 128-136), Darl narrates that Jewel bought a horse, with his own money, from Farmer Quick. As a result, Anse becomes very upset with Jewel because he thinks that the horse is going to cause him a lot of money in the long run. Knowing Anse's lazy and self-centered behavior, Anse immediately things how Jewel's hard work is going to cause him a great inconvenience. This is illustrated in the next diary entry that Anse writes regarding the fact that Jewel's horse will cause him a great trouble. Dear Diary,
The only thing my kids do is cause trouble, as they never do any work. They show no gratitude for my enormous contributions to this family. However, Jewel is the biggest troublemaker out of all my kids. First, he defies me by not doing any work on my farm, leaving Addie and I having to compensate for his inabilities. In addition, Jewel went behind my back to go work for another person, who in know way is a better man than me, Anse Bundren. How could he even consider making money, so selfishly, for himself, instead of aiding me in the running of my farm?
But, what upsets me most about Jewel's conduct is how he bought that dumb horse. He says this horse will not cost me a dime, but I know it will. It will be on my, Anse's, dime in which that horse will be taken care of. It seems like everybody takes advantage of my hard work to benefit themselves. If Jewel makes me exert any effort, at all, on his stupid horse, I will make my kids do all the work on the farm while I do none. These kids and the whole world are always looking to benefit off the hard working, tolerant, and selfless Anse.
Anse-a very lazy, selfish, and freeloading person. Anse has no teeth and, a result, his main goal is to obtain a pair
of false teeth. Like in the picture, Anse is always watching others do work instead of him doing it himself.
(http://apimages.ap.org/)
Jewel- known as a very violent, lonely, and unhappy person. By most Jewel is seen as scornful to others. However, the reader knows that Jewel loves two things, his mother and his horse.
Jewel appears to struggle to fit in with the Bundren Family, as he feels so isolated from them.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/globevisions/2057283570/) Journal Entry #7- Addie's ReactionIn section 34 (pgs. 141-149), Darl narrates the events in which the family unsuccessfully attempts to cross the river. He describes how the family loses their wagon and mules, as well as the difficult processes they take just to bury Addie's coffin in Jefferson, MI. In the following diary entry, Addie mocks the rest of the family, that she secretly despises, for doing all this extra work for burying her. Dear Diary,
O how my family is so naive and stupid. Do they not know that I never have and never will love them? I cannot help but laugh at them for risking their lives just to get my material body buried in the ground. Do they even know that the only reason I want them to bury me in distant Jefferson is so I can make them go through all the trouble? In fact, I do not care, whatsoever, if I am buried in Jefferson with my family, as I have been alone throughout my entire life. I am unable to fathom why my husband and kids are taking such great length to bury the body of a woman, who was not a nurturing mother or wife and did not even show any sorts of love toward them. Perhaps, they do what most common people do when a loved one dies: they remember them only for their good qualities and behaviors but nothing else. All in all, I feel like my family members care and love me with too great a passion, in comparison to the way I loved and treated them.
When my family comes up with all these odd ways of getting my body across the river, I cannot help but laugh at all the difficult steps they take. I believe in the end Jewel decided to guide the wagon with the coffin thorough the treacherous waters with that stubborn horse of his. They should have known that this was not going to be successful, as there were too many factors which need to occur perfectly. As the log crashes into the wagon and my coffin spews out of it, I merely chuckle thinking: why can't they just leave me be alone in the way that I have always wished. I need nobody besides myself.
I cannot stop pondering why Anse wants to get my body to Jefferson so intently. It is a great possibility that Cash, Darl, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman genuinely want to get my body to Jefferson, as they only want to bury men and pay my respects. But Anse...I do not exactly know his intentions. Living with him as long as I have, I know he is lazy, selfish, and unwilling to do anything if it does not pertain to him. I know Anse must have ulterior motives to arrive in Jefferson because he is actually taking action upon something. Maybe it was those dumb false teeth he would not stop mentioning. Most of the time, he is nowhere to be found if there is a big problem. This recurring characteristic is demonstrated when Anse sat motionless during the time when his wagon being tipped over and the mules dying. All that oaf could do was complain about how difficult his life was, while the rest of the family was struggling to save my coffin. I really did not care if they saved my coffin, as it made no difference to me where I was going to be buried. I would be alone no matter what.
Addie- a very plain, unhappy woman. She was the wife of farmer Anse.
Addie secretly abominated her family, neighbors, God, and life in general.
Throughout her life, Addie felt that she had no purpose in her life and, as
a result, was very lonely. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricephotos/438502902/) Journal Entry #8-William Faulkner's Voice (Blabberize)The following "Blabberize" summarizes section 41 (pgs. 169-176) of As I Lay Dying. Addie narrates this section and tells the reader how much she despises her family. The summary is told by William Faulkner in his point of view.
object classid='clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000' codebase='http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0' width='350' height='450' id='Blabberize.com_Player' align='middle'>
Blabberrize made at http://blabberize.com/
Picture of Faulkner found at http://apimages.ap.org/
Journal Entry #9-Visual Depiction (Wordle)The next Wordle depicts how Addie basically despises everything in life, as demonstrated in her narration from section 41 (pgs. 169-176). In this section, Addie explains that nothing in life pleases her. She tells the reader that she has never loved her kids (with the exception of Jewel), Anse, and life in general. Compared with the common belief that Addie was a very loving individual based on the way the family talked about her, the reader experiences a completely different side of Addie. Addie tells about how she feels she has no purpose in life, as she believes that all of life is to prepare for death. Additionally, she has a constant feeling of isolation and loneliness. However, that is the way she likes to be. With this section, the reader is informed that Addie has a sick, twisted mind, while she wished her own husband. All in all, this Wordle provides a good representation to the fact that Addie abominates nearly everything in life.
made at http://www.wordle.net/ Journal Entry #10-Newspaper ArticleIn the following newspaper article, a journalist writes about the way in which Gillespie's farm was set on fire by an arsonist and the investigation which followed. This outside opinion of the event was based on the fire that was described from sections 49-51 (pgs. 214-225)
Journal Entry #1- Extended Response (Darl)The following entry is an extension to the end of section 21 (pgs. 94-95), when Darl taunts jewel about their mother, Addie, being dead. Jewel is quite sensitive to any negative talk about his mother. Additionally in this section, Darl explains to the reader that he has no mother.
I do not know why I enjoy making Jewel feel so upset over the fact that his mother, our mother, is dying or why I take her death so comfortably. Perhaps, causing sadness in Jewel is the only way for me to cope with the uneasiness surrounding my mother's death. There is a great possibility that instilling pain in others may help to release the pain I have inside, regarding my mother's death. However, there may be a simpler, darker side concerning my feelings for my dying mother, Addie. As the case may be, I may want my mother to die for one selfish reason or another. Maybe, the only reason I want Addie Bundren to go with the Lord is so that I can ridicule Jewel for no reason whatsoever. In addition, I may conceivably wish for Addie to perish because I disdain my mother, our mother. These thoughts that occur in my head are very confusing and difficult to interpret. Perhaps one of the scenarios I listed can be credited to my contemptuous and hurtful behavior towards Jewel. Or maybe, I commit these actions as a mixture of the preceding scenarios. All in all, I am not able to comprehend my confusing feelings about my mother's inevitable death.
Darl- viewed by many to be more loving and smarter
than the rest of his family (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dpstyles/3112730513/).
Journal Entry #2-Diary Response (Tull's Thoughts on Anse)In section 9 (pgs. 35-38), Anse describes that his life is filled with bad luck and cannot catch a break as a result of his house being situated
on a road. In addition, he faults everything, except himself, for his poor life. Anse's selfishness in the section is well illustrated when he states that he did not schedule doctor's visits for Addie so that he could obtain his false teeth. In the following Diary entry, Tull describes his contempt for Anse, as he is selfish, a freeloader, and lazy.
Dear Diary,
Anse's behavior enrages me so much that, if given the chance, I would give him a good beating in order to send him a message. The way in which Anse blames everything and everybody for his problems makes me grit my teeth and shake my fists with animosity. Whether it be the road in which his house is situated on or the weather, Anse always has an excuse for not doing his work or not obtaining a good life. Additionally, it is clear that Anse is selfish to a point where he would sacrifice the well-being of his wife so that he could possess a pair of false teeth. Anse never seems to have a care for anybody besides himself, despite being a father. To be a good father, you must sacrifice all for your wife and kids. Any well standing member of society, like me, would cringe and shake with hatred towards Anse's inexcusable, selfish and self-absorbent lifestyle.
Not only do I detest him for his selfishness and the blame he puts on others, I also abominate Anse for taking advantage of hard working people like his kids and I. Anse feels as if he is exempt from the daily labors that every other person faces. He even goes so far as to fabricating a sickness, where he states that sweating causes him to become sick. Above all, Anse is lazy. This is exemplified well when Anse conveys that it was ridiculous for him to work when Cash was recovering from a severe leg injury. I cannot seem to comprehend why I still help him so much. Perhaps, it is because my Christian wife Cora has taught me to forgive others that sin. Diary, you have worked me into a frenzy describing Anse's agitating behaviors. Please help me to remember my Christian ways and continue to aid Anse without complaint because that is what Jesus would do.
appears to be working on something (like above). (http://apimages.ap.org/)
of false teeth. Like in the picture, Anse is always watching others do work instead of him doing it himself.
(http://apimages.ap.org/)
Journal Entry #3- Poem (Written by Vardaman)The following poem was written by Vardaman, based on his feelings and actions in section 13 (pgs.53-57) after the death of his mother. Because he is either very young or retarded, Vardaman perceives death in a different way than most.
retarded. Throughout the book, Vardaman has very confusing thoughts about his mother
Addie's death. Often times, he associates death with the dead fish that he caught and killed.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/internationalrivers/3424156607/)
My Dead Fish by Vardaman
O mom, how could you die,
O how your sudden death causes me to cry.
If I jump from the porch, I will be like the fish,
Without a doubt I will appear like a broken dish.
For the death of my mother, I blame Peabody,
It is clear that his medical skills are quite shoddy.
"He kilt her. He kilt her" I say,
But, perhaps it isn't his fault, as Pa didn't want to pay.
Then, abruptly, emotion overcame me like a brick wall,
Unconsciously, I start attacking Peabody's horse yelling, "you killed my maw."
I hit the animals with such vigor that I break the attacking stick,
It is most likely that the horse felt the force of a 20 pound brick.
In my own sort of world, I begin to run up the dusty way,
I'm crying so much that my tears could supply rain to all the world for a full day.
In the calmness of the barn, I am able to cry without care,
However, my grievance is cut short when Cash and Dewey Dell and ruin the comfortable air.
Journal Entry #4- Visual Depiction (Wordle)The following Wordle is derived from Section 9 (35-38) of the novel As I Lay Dying. In this section, Anse narrates how his life is so unlucky and difficult. Typical of Anse's behavior, he blames his problems on something else. He states that the road, on which his house is built on, is the main source of his problems. Additionally, Anse feels a need to blame his lack of energy (and in turn work ethic) upon the miserable weather. The next Wordle will provide a good representation to the lack of responsibility Anse takes for himself and others. Additionally in section 9, Anse explains that he did not call Dr. Peabody when Addie was sick so that he could save money in order to buy a pair of false teeth for himself. This demonstrates that Anse is very selfishness and self-absorbent.
Made at http://www.wordle.net
Journal Entry #5- Visual Depiction (Sumopaint)The below drawing is based on Section 3 (10-13), where Darl is narrating the section. Darl explains that Jewel is able to control the most insubordinate horse around. In the picture, Jewel is shown punching the horse, inside the barn, in the face in order to control it. Darl credits Jewel for being the only one that is able to control the horse and be able to ride it. Despite his violent behavior toward the horse, Jewel loves his horse with a great passion. Besides his mother Addie, Jewel's horse seems to be the only thing that he loves and does not have hatred or contempt for. The following depiction will show how Jewel has the sole ability to master and dominate the horse.
Journal Entry #6-Diary Response (Anse's Thoughts on Jewel) In Section 32 (pgs. 128-136), Darl narrates that Jewel bought a horse, with his own money, from Farmer Quick. As a result, Anse becomes very upset with Jewel because he thinks that the horse is going to cause him a lot of money in the long run. Knowing Anse's lazy and self-centered behavior, Anse immediately things how Jewel's hard work is going to cause him a great inconvenience. This is illustrated in the next diary entry that Anse writes regarding the fact that Jewel's horse will cause him a great trouble.
Dear Diary,
The only thing my kids do is cause trouble, as they never do any work. They show no gratitude for my enormous contributions to this family. However, Jewel is the biggest troublemaker out of all my kids. First, he defies me by not doing any work on my farm, leaving Addie and I having to compensate for his inabilities. In addition, Jewel went behind my back to go work for another person, who in know way is a better man than me, Anse Bundren. How could he even consider making money, so selfishly, for himself, instead of aiding me in the running of my farm?
But, what upsets me most about Jewel's conduct is how he bought that dumb horse. He says this horse will not cost me a dime, but I know it will. It will be on my, Anse's, dime in which that horse will be taken care of. It seems like everybody takes advantage of my hard work to benefit themselves. If Jewel makes me exert any effort, at all, on his stupid horse, I will make my kids do all the work on the farm while I do none. These kids and the whole world are always looking to benefit off the hard working, tolerant, and selfless Anse.
Anse-a very lazy, selfish, and freeloading person. Anse has no teeth and, a result, his main goal is to obtain a pair
of false teeth. Like in the picture, Anse is always watching others do work instead of him doing it himself.
(http://apimages.ap.org/)
Jewel- known as a very violent, lonely, and unhappy person. By most Jewel is seen as scornful to others. However, the reader knows that Jewel loves two things, his mother and his horse.
Jewel appears to struggle to fit in with the Bundren Family, as he feels so isolated from them.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/globevisions/2057283570/)
Journal Entry #7- Addie's ReactionIn section 34 (pgs. 141-149), Darl narrates the events in which the family unsuccessfully attempts to cross the river. He describes how the family loses their wagon and mules, as well as the difficult processes they take just to bury Addie's coffin in Jefferson, MI. In the following diary entry, Addie mocks the rest of the family, that she secretly despises, for doing all this extra work for burying her.
Dear Diary,
O how my family is so naive and stupid. Do they not know that I never have and never will love them? I cannot help but laugh at them for risking their lives just to get my material body buried in the ground. Do they even know that the only reason I want them to bury me in distant Jefferson is so I can make them go through all the trouble? In fact, I do not care, whatsoever, if I am buried in Jefferson with my family, as I have been alone throughout my entire life. I am unable to fathom why my husband and kids are taking such great length to bury the body of a woman, who was not a nurturing mother or wife and did not even show any sorts of love toward them. Perhaps, they do what most common people do when a loved one dies: they remember them only for their good qualities and behaviors but nothing else. All in all, I feel like my family members care and love me with too great a passion, in comparison to the way I loved and treated them.
When my family comes up with all these odd ways of getting my body across the river, I cannot help but laugh at all the difficult steps they take. I believe in the end Jewel decided to guide the wagon with the coffin thorough the treacherous waters with that stubborn horse of his. They should have known that this was not going to be successful, as there were too many factors which need to occur perfectly. As the log crashes into the wagon and my coffin spews out of it, I merely chuckle thinking: why can't they just leave me be alone in the way that I have always wished. I need nobody besides myself.
I cannot stop pondering why Anse wants to get my body to Jefferson so intently. It is a great possibility that Cash, Darl, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman genuinely want to get my body to Jefferson, as they only want to bury men and pay my respects. But Anse...I do not exactly know his intentions. Living with him as long as I have, I know he is lazy, selfish, and unwilling to do anything if it does not pertain to him. I know Anse must have ulterior motives to arrive in Jefferson because he is actually taking action upon something. Maybe it was those dumb false teeth he would not stop mentioning. Most of the time, he is nowhere to be found if there is a big problem. This recurring characteristic is demonstrated when Anse sat motionless during the time when his wagon being tipped over and the mules dying. All that oaf could do was complain about how difficult his life was, while the rest of the family was struggling to save my coffin. I really did not care if they saved my coffin, as it made no difference to me where I was going to be buried. I would be alone no matter what.
Addie secretly abominated her family, neighbors, God, and life in general.
Throughout her life, Addie felt that she had no purpose in her life and, as
a result, was very lonely. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricephotos/438502902/)
Journal Entry #8-William Faulkner's Voice (Blabberize)The following "Blabberize" summarizes section 41 (pgs. 169-176) of As I Lay Dying. Addie narrates this section and tells the reader how much she despises her family. The summary is told by William Faulkner in his point of view.
object classid='clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000' codebase='http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0' width='350' height='450' id='Blabberize.com_Player' align='middle'>
Blabberrize made at http://blabberize.com/
Picture of Faulkner found at http://apimages.ap.org/
Journal Entry #9-Visual Depiction (Wordle)The next Wordle depicts how Addie basically despises everything in life, as demonstrated in her narration from section 41 (pgs. 169-176). In this section, Addie explains that nothing in life pleases her. She tells the reader that she has never loved her kids (with the exception of Jewel), Anse, and life in general. Compared with the common belief that Addie was a very loving individual based on the way the family talked about her, the reader experiences a completely different side of Addie. Addie tells about how she feels she has no purpose in life, as she believes that all of life is to prepare for death. Additionally, she has a constant feeling of isolation and loneliness. However, that is the way she likes to be. With this section, the reader is informed that Addie has a sick, twisted mind, while she wished her own husband. All in all, this Wordle provides a good representation to the fact that Addie abominates nearly everything in life.
made at http://www.wordle.net/
Journal Entry #10-Newspaper ArticleIn the following newspaper article, a journalist writes about the way in which Gillespie's farm was set on fire by an arsonist and the investigation which followed. This outside opinion of the event was based on the fire that was described from sections 49-51 (pgs. 214-225)